Rotary engine.



No. 663,7!6. Patented Dec. H, I900. C. H. ASLING & A. HELMS.

BOTABY ENGINE.

(Application filed Apr. 7, 1900.]

Patented Dec. ,1900. C. H. ASLING & A. HELMS.

ROTARY ENGINE. (Applichtion filed Apr. 7, 1900;

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet 2.

UNiTt: STATES PATENT Prion.

CHARLES H. ASLING AND ALBERT HELMS, OF SILOAM SPRINGS, ARKANSAS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,716, dated December11, 1900.

Application filed April '7, 1900.

To (all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES H. ASLING and ALBERT HELMS, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Siloam Springs, in the county of Benton andState of Arkansas, have invcntednew and useful Improvements in R- taryEngines, of which the followingis a specification.

sponding set of pistons is being exhausted or retracted, whereby thesteam acts at all times, when the engine is running, on oneset ofpistons with a direct pressure to produce a continuous rotary movementthat will be entirely independent of the momentum of-the engine.

It also has for its object to provide such an engine with improvedreversing mechanism by means of which the engine may be instantlyreversed at will.

To these ends our invention consists in the features and in tlieconstruction,combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims following the description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical central sectional view ofour improved invent-ion. Fig. 2 is a partial transverse sectional view,also illustrating the reversing-valve. Fig. 3 is a partial sectional andperspective view illustrating the reversing-valve and the portedcylinder and their connections, and Fig. 4 is a detail View illustratinga modified form of piston-shoe.

Referring to the drawings, the n umeral 1 indicates the engine-casing,preferably having thegeneralshape ofacylinderand formed with a base 2,adapted to be rigidly fixed to anysuitlerial No. 12,007. (No model.)

able bed or support. As shown, the casingis hollow and its interior isshaped to present two curved surfaces or faces 3 and 4,each comprising afraction of a circle and each forming one-half of the interior of thecasing. Each of the curved faces 3 and 4 forms more than a semicircleand their centers lie on diametrically opposite sides of the center ofthe casing 1, whereby their meeting ends form apices 5, which also lieon opposite sides of the center of the casing. Passing centrally throughthe casing 1 is a fixed shaft 6, on

which is journaled so as to freely rotate thereon a solid metallic wheel7, which is provided with a laterally-projectinghub 8. In the hub 8 oneend of the line or driven shaft 9 is fitted and is fixed therein bymeans of set-screws 10. Bored or otherwise suitably formed in the wheel7 are four cylindrical bores or sockets 11, which are arranged at rightangles to one another and form steam-cylinders, said cylinders extendingthrough the periphery of the wheel and terminating at their inner endsin contracted ports 12, and in the outer ends of said cylinders arefitted annular packings or bushings 13, of brass or other metal suitablefor the purpose, hereinafter described. Arranged to reciprocate in thecylinders 11 are pistons 14, 15, 16, and 17, each provided at its innerend with packings or pistonheads 18 and at its outer end with a shoe,which may either consist of a roller 18, journaled in the end of thepiston, or of a shoe 19, beveled at its opposite ends and pivoted to theend of the piston. Either form of this part of the invention constitutesa pivoted shoe which is arranged to contact with the inner curved facesof the casing and freely move over the same.

With a view to preventing wear the interior of the casing 1 should bechilled orotherwise suitably hardened or the same may be lined withsteel.

Formed in the periphery of the shaft 6 at the inner end of the latterare four ports 20, 21, 22, and 23, which are adapted to simultaneouslyregister with all four of the cylinders 11, the circumferential portions24, 25, 26, and 27 of said shaft lying between the ports formingcut-0ffs,as will more fully hereinafter appear. Formed in the shaft 6are two longitudinal ducts or channels 28, that communicate at theirinner ends with the ports and 21, and two similar ducts or channels 29,that communicate at their inner ends with the ports 22 and 23. Pipeslead from the outer ends of the ducts 28 and are coupled to a commonpipe 31, and in like manner pipes 32 lead from the ducts 29 and arecoupled to a common pipe 33.

Thenumeral 34 indicates a rotary valvecasing in which is fitted arotatable cylindrical valve 35. Passing transversely through the valve35 at approximately right angles to each other are two ducts or ports 36and 37, each terminating at one end in a peripheral extension, saidextensions being respectively indicated by the numerals 38 and 39.Formed in the valve-casing is a port or duct 40, in which is fitted thepipe 31, and a similar port or duct41, in which is fitted the pipe 33.Opposite the ducts 40 and 41 are formed corresponding ducts 42 and 43,in the former of which is fitted a steam-pipe 44, that leads from theboiler, (not shown,) and in the latter anexhaust-pipe 45. The valve 35is provided with a handle46, by means of which it may be convenientlyturned, suitable stops of any desired construction being provided tolimit the rotary movement of the valve in either direction. Theextensions 38 and 39 of the ports 36 and 37 are of such length that whenthe valve is turned to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings thesteam from the pipe 44 will pass through the port 36 into the pipe 31and through the latter and the pipes 30 and ducts 28 into the ports 20and 21 and from the latter into two of the cylinders 11 that may for thetime being register with said ports. In the same manner the exhaust fromthe other two cylinders will pass through the ports 22 and 23 and thencethrough the ducts 29 into and through the pipes 32 33 and valveport 37and out through the exhaust'pipe 45. If the valve be givena partialrotation in the direction indicated by the arrow, it will be readilyseen that the port 36 will then communicate with the pipes 31 and 45 andthe port 37, or its extension 39 will communicate with the pipes 33 and44, and the passage of the live and exhaust steam will be reversed.-

The operation of our improved engine is as follows: Let it be assumedthat the engine is in the position shown in Fig. 1 and that thereversing-valve is in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Thenthe steam passing to the ports 20 and 21 in the manner above describedwill pass into the cylinders behind the pistons 14 and 15 and will forcethe shoes carried by the latter against the outwardlycurved portions 47of the curved faces 3 and 4 of the casing. The shoes will thus bebearing in an oblique direction against two oppositely-inclinedsurfaces, and hence will be caused to rotatein the direction of thearrow shown in Fig. 1. At the same time the shoes carried by the pistons16 and 17 will be sliding over the inwardly-curved surfaces 48 of theinterior of the casing, and said pistons will consequently be forcedinward; but as the cylinders containing the pistons 16 and 17 are incommunication with the ports 22 and 23 the steam behind said pis onswill exhaust out through said ports and to the exhaustpipe in the mannerbefore described. When the ends of the pistons 16 and 17, respectively,reach the apices 5, the ends of the pistons 14 and 15 will be at pointsmid way between said apices or just about to leave the outwardlycurvedfaces 47 and travel upon the in wardlycurved faces 48, and at such timethe ports 12 at the inner ends of the cylinders in which work thepistons 14 and 15 will be crossing over the adjacent cut-offs 26 and 27and commencing to place said cylinders into communication with the ports22 and 23, through which latter the said cylinders will be exhausted. Asthe shoes carried by the pistons 16 and 17 ride past the apices 5 theircylinders will be put into communication with the ports 20 and 21 andwill act against the inclined faces 47 in the manner before describedand continue to rotate the wheel 7 in the-direction indicated by thearrow. In this man- Her two of the pistons will at all times beoperating to rotate the engine, while simultaneously the other two willbe exhausing, whereby the force of the steam is at all times operatingon one set of pistons to drive the engine and the momentum, of thelatter is not depended upon to actuate the engine during a'portion ofits rotation.

It will be readily understood that if the valve be turned to cause theport 37 to register with the pipes 33 and 44 and the port 36 to registerwith the pipes 31 and 45 the ports 22 and 23 will then becomeadmission-ports and the ports 20 and 21 exhaust-ports, and hence thedirection of rotation of the wheel 7 will be reversed. It willalso beevident that if the valve 35 be turned to a position intermediate thetwo positions described the duct 42 will be closed and the steam be cutoff from the engine and the latter stopped.

W'e have described our improved engine as being driven by steam; but itwill of course be understood that it may be driven by compressed air orother suitable fluid-pressure.

Having described our invention, what we claim is 1. In a rotary engine,the combination with a hollow casing provided with twosimilarinternally-curved faces arranged opposite to each other, saidcurved faces being each greater than a semicircle and disposedeccentrically to the axial center of the casing, of four radialcylinders arranged to rotate in unison about the axial center of thecasing, pistons fitted to reciprocate in said cylinders and carryingshoes att-heir outer ends adapted to contact with the curved faces ofthe casing, and means for admitting steam behind two opposite pistonsand simultaneously exhausting it from the other two pistons,substantially as described.

2. In a rotary engine, the combinationwith a casing provided with twosimilar internallycurved faces arranged opposite to each other, saidcurved faces being each great-er than a semicircle and disposedeccentrically on opposite sides of the axial center of the casing, offour radial cylinders disposed at right angles to one another andarranged to rotatein unison about the axial center of the casing,pistons fitted to reciprocate in said cylinders and provided attheirouter ends with pivoted shoes adapted to contact with the curvedfaces of the casing, and means for admitting steam behind two of thepistons as they recede from the highest portions of the curved faces andfor exhausting the steam from behind the other two pistons as theyrecede from the lowest portions of said faces, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing provided with twosimilar internallycurved faces arranged opposite to each other, saidcurved faces being each greater than a semicircle and disposedeccentrically to the axial center of the casing, of a fixed shaftarranged centrally in the casing and provided with four circumferentialports formed at equal distances apart, four radial cylinders arranged torotate in unison on said shaft and constructed to simultaneouslyregister at their innerends with said ports, pistons fitted toreciprocate in said cylinders and provided with shoes at their outerends adapted to contact with the curved faces of the casing, and meansfor admitting steam to two of the opposite ports and simultaneouslyexhausting it from the other two ports, substantially as described.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing provided with twosimilar internallycurved faces arranged opposite to each other, saidcurved faces being each greater than a semicircle and disposedeccentrically to the axial center of the casing, of a fixed shaftarranged centrally in the casing and provided with four circumferentialports formed at equal distances apart, four radial cylinders arranged torotate in unison on said shaft and constructed to simultaneouslyregister at their inner ends with said ports, pistons fitted toreciprocate in said cylinders and provided at their outer ends withshoes adapted to contact with the curved faces of the casing, means foradmitting steam to two of the 0pposite ports and simultaneouslyexhausting it from the other two ports, and means for reversing theadmission and exhaust of said ports, substantially as described.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing provided with twosimilar internallycurved faces arranged opposite to each other, saidcurved faces being each greater than a semicircle and disposedeccentrically to the axial center of the casing, of a shaft fixedcentrally in the casing and provided with four ports each extendingaround nearly one-quarter the circumference of the shaft, four radialcylinders arranged to rotate in unison on said said curved faces beingeach greater than a semicircle and disposed eccentrically to the axialcenter of the casing, of a shaft fixed centrally in the casingandprovided with four ports each extending around nearly onefourth thecircumference of the shaft and separated by narrow cut-offs, four radialcylinders arranged to rotate in unison on said shaft and provided attheir inner ends with contracted ports arranged to simultaneouslyregister with the ports in the shaft, pistons fitted to reciprocate inthe cylinders and provided at their outer ends with shoes adapted tocontact with the curved faces of the easing, a valve for simultaneouslyadmitting steam to two of the opposite ports in the shaft and exhaustingit from the other two of said valves, and means for reversing the valve,substantially as described.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination with a closed casing providedwith two similar internally-curved faces arranged opposite to eachother, said curved faces being each greater than a semicircle anddisposed eccentrically to the axial center of the casing, of a shaftfixed centrally in the casing and provided with four circumferentialports, four radial cylinders arranged to rotate in unison on said shaftand provided centrally with a hub, said cylinders being adapted toregister with the said ports, a line-shaft fixed to the hub, pistonsfitted to reciprocate in the cylinders and provided at their outer endswith shoes adapted to contact with the curved faces of the casing, avalve for simultaneously admitting steam to two of the opposite ports inthe shaft and exhausting it from the other two of said valves,substantially as described.

8. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing provided with twosimilar internallycurved faces arranged opposite to each other, saidcurved faces being each greater than a semicircle and disposedeccentrically to the axial center of the casing, of a shaft fixedcentrally in the casing and provided with four circumferential ports, awheel rotatably mounted on the shaft and having formed therein fourradial cylinders disposed at right angles to one another, said cylindersbeing adapted to register at their inner ends with said ports, pistonsfitted to reciprocate in the cylinders and provided at their outer endswith shoes adapted to contact with the curved faces of the casing, avalve for simultaneour hands in presence of'two subscribing witouslyadmitting steam to two of the opposite nesses.

ports in the shaft and exhausting it from the CHARLES H. ASLING. othertwo of said Valves, and a line-shaft ALBERT HELMS.

5 fixed centrally t0 and rotating with the said Witnesses:

wheel, substantially as described. R. S. MORRIS,

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set H. TANNEHILL.

